Whats everyones opinion on boarding school. Is it worth it? Im real good at my carving and jumping backside but front side and many tricks are hard for me. Also I am inconsistant with my form. Want to got to the one in Dallas TX or in Florida. But dont want to fork out the bills if it really is only for beginners.

I almost went to one back in the day when Murray opened his school. I decided to save my money for gas. I ended up learning a bunch of inverts and spins that summer. If you want to learn tricks, buy an instructional video, trampoline, and ride every day of the week!

I would argue that lessons are more important for riders beyond the beginning stage. 90% of wakeworld can teach people how to get up and ride, carve around, etc. My guess is only 50% could be effective 'teachers' with regards to inverts/spins. Remember, knowing how to do a trick and being able to watch and then 'teach' someone else is completely different. Once you start trying more advanced tricks, form is everything...take some lessons.

Lessons can and will help anyone improve at any level. Look at how many pros work with coaches and other pros. What you think you are doing and what you really are(on the water) can be very different. I go to the Boarding School with Shaun, Travis and Kyle---it has improved my riding much quicker and with less falls than on my own. I highly recommend getting lessons!!

Leo - Echoing what Chuck H. has said, you may not get a whole bunch of tricks in one week by going to place such as The Boarding School, but as long as you set you expectations and ask questions, they will get you on the right patch to success after you leave your week with them, provided you don't land it while you are with them.

First you must set the foundation (break all of your bad habits) and then set the building blocks (trip to TBS) on top of the foundation and see it through to completion.

What's up Chuck? Tell Brandon I said what's up and keep speaking the truth my friend.

Here is the truth about wakeboarding, its all repitition, motivation, and confidence. If you need help with any of these things a lesson will do you alot of good. If you get alot of repitition, have alot of motivation, and ride with confidence already then you will progress just as much staying home and riding.

What the coaches "tell" you is only 25% of what they are providing. They are also providing repitition by giving you several sets a day, every day. They are motivating you by watching you and encouraging you. They give you confidence by looking at your ability and providing realistic goals. Its these three things that people get from professional instruction that really promote progression. However, these things "can" be found at home for many. If you struggle finding these things in your own backyard, then lessons will do you a world of good. If your a kid who goes out with alot of confidence and tries new stuff under your own motivation, and get out several times a week, save your money, youre doing just fine.

of course it will sound bias coming from me, but I'm not here to sell people on heading to the school. I will tell you that the success we have had with people in the past is why I like to teach people. Beginners up to advanced riding can always take an opinion from the boat, and we have spent a lot of time seeing the same mistakes made. I like to see people land stuff and not beat themselves to death, so I will do my absolute best to keep someone from taking a beating. Another way I like to help people is giving them tricks to try that they didn't even realize they could do. Some of the time at the school we end up breaking bad habits, which in turn allows for faster progression with less beatings, like Chuck said. For example, Chuck is a pretty advanced rider with a lot of big tricks in his bag. Surprisingly, HS FS 3's were giving him a hard time. We put him on the Roam for a set to work on surface spins and took him through the process we work people up to going wake to wake. He put his wakeboard on the next set and nailed his first attempt. It's those moments that remind me of why i like to do what i do. For some people, it is just getting out there and going for it, but for some, they could use a little help. If you think you could use some help, look us up. Either way, have fun while you are progressing and don't forget about that feeling you get when you learn a new trick.

I think the methods you learn from Shaun and Travis would be a fantastic experience. I had Gerry Nunn do two days at a private clinic this past July. Everyone was at different levels and everyone went home with better techniques and new tricks or more polish on the ones they were having trouble with. We are booking Gerry again for 08. Maybe squeeze 4 days total. Maybe there are some Pros who are just good at riding and not teaching. And maybe some of you have experienced that. My guess Shaun and Gerry have similar styles to teaching. If that is the case.....it is truly worth the money. I for one hope to go to the boarding school next spring for more schooling. So I think you definitely go home with new tips and maybe new tricks. But it might depend on who you learn from.

I would think even better if you're new, so you don't develop bad habits. The lessons (informal) I've received have done wonders for my riding because I started doing things properly, and that makes everything else easier. Always better to build on a good foundation.

I work for Sasser Wakeboard School in Dallas, TX (www.wakeboardinglessons.com) and we would love to have you come take some lessons with us. I know Dallas is much closer to Montana than Orlando and we have taught several of the guys in the Junior Men's division of the PWT. Send me an email if you have any questions at sasserwakeboardschool@gmail.com. That being said, if you are looking for a more "camp, school, vacation" feel, you can't beat the Boarding School. I have been to camp with Travis for a week before and ridden with Shaun before and you can't beat those two. Class acts all the way!

Shaun, we were at the school shortly after it first opened. Alex and my son Connor, then 8, took lessons as I sat in the boat asking lots of questions and having a great time watching you teach with such conviction. It was a great wakeboarding experience, besides being able to brag how my son went to the boarding school and was coached by Shaun Murray. With someone who has the knowledge and can tweak your riding to be a better rider, it's definately worth the lessons if you want to progress the correct way, not only for beginners, but all levels. I picked up a few driving tips from Travis as well!

If I had the money...I'd be ALL OVER one of these wakeboard camps. My riding ALWAYS needs improvement and I've gotten pro instruction for just a few hours and helped me a ton! I can only imagine what a whole week or even a couple days would do to it. Go dude. Spend the money and have a blast! I would

if your a beg-int. rider save the money and put it in the gas tank...only riding more will make you better..buy the book, watch it everyweek and ride ride ride..after you got the basics down or hita flat spot then take a lesson or two..

If you ever get a chance to get some coaching from a pro take it!! I don't care what level your riding at every one can pick up some pointers. I road for years not having a clue what I was doing. When I got the chance to go out with some pro's every thing changed. Guy like Shawn and Gerry who love the sport and have been around for a good while can see thing that your doing or not doing that can make a world of diffrence. Belive me not only is it worth it, It is a whole lot of Fun.

Check out the westcoastcamps.com. Mike runs a great camp over there. for 1,300 you get 3 rides a day, food, gas in the boats, everything all you do is sleep eat and board. I believe there like 7 or 8 instructors and 4 boats. they've got 2 houseboats that you stay on with the instructors. i went the year after they opened it adn had been back every year after that and watch it grow. its by far one of the best boarding camps/schools out there.

I believe that ANY instruction is a good idea (and the sooner the better). As long as it's by a good instructor - and they don't have to be on the tour to be good. As some have said - some great riders are not the best teachers (same in any sport/profession). I have taught all levels of flying since the 60's. The most challenging is when someone comes to me who has lots of hours but only had minimal instruction when he first got his license. Then the bad habits are really difficult to break and it's much more difficult to achieve a higher level of proficiency/smoothness. I believe it's the same with wakeboarding. Break the bad habits as soon as you can. It's difficult to do that without good instruction.

I know it sounds like a good idea to just ride alot and practice, problem is you are probably ingraining bad habits. A teaching pro...whether golf, or wakeboarding will guide you correctly, shorten your learning curve and keep you going in the right direction- Practice doesnt make perfect: Perfect practice makes perfect

Many good points.....I just wanted to add. If it was not for Gerry Nunn's clinic this year....I would still be riding with bad habits. Quickly my riding is getting a lot better. I have to concentrate sometimes to make sure I am doing what Gerry had instructed me to do. oh BTW I have been riding ten years. Bad habits are hard to break. I know from first hand experience. Take lessons....it is worth it. Or ride with a lot of friends that took lessons and ride cleanly to get good examples.

I went to the Wakeboard Camp for a week and got my first day with Kyle, it was an eye opening experience. After the first day Kyle had to travel to Spain or something, Bummer! The other coaches were good, but Kyle was THE MAN! Overall, it was a good experience, but I really wish I could have spent the whole week with Kyle. I don't regret going though, it helped me out a lot.

With that said, the next Camp I will go to will be the Boarding School. Spending a week with Shawn and Travis, well...that's some serious experience right there. I don't know for sure, but I would bet it would be worth every penny.

By the way…Shaun is such a cool guy. I had the privilege of hanging out with him for several days following the Phoenix Pro-Am many years back, and he is an incredible individual who sets a great example of what a professional wakeboarder should be.

After going to the boarding school on spring break this past March. My riding has improved so much its unreal. I am doing my surface 180’s and board and lipslides so much better. Now just at the end of the season I was trying to go wake to wake. One thing Shaun, Travis, and Kyle did for me was get my confidence back up. I was doing INT to have fun and be with other riders, but not riding well and people talking about me got my confidence in the gutter. An just being out with them and the way they coach. I feel like if I put my mind to it I can do it. I am all ready wanting to book for next spring break. Oh Shaun how is Miss Roxy.

IMO....Anyone who JUST rides all the time, and saves the money for gas, won't learn what they need to to be able to really advance. Yeah you might learn some tricks, but are you doing the tricks properly? You will more than likely learn bad habits, have no style, and huck everything. I don't care who you are, or what your trying to learn, lessons ALWAYS help in some way, shape or form.

Shaun- good to see you on here, tell the boys what up!

Mr. Pretti--Its been quite some time. How you been? Shoot me an email man.

BBR-The summer I thought about going to a camp, I decided to stay home, save the money for gas, and ride with my friends 4-5 times a week. I ended up learning melan backrolls, TS OA 5's, melan OA 3's, roll 2 reverts, ts backroll, and a whirlybird. The summer before, my only tricks were backrolls, tantrums, and a hs 3.

I agree that lessons will help. But for the price? I think if you have the option to ride 4 times a week all summer, or ride once a week and go to a camp. I would take riding 4 times a week. Proper foundation is important, but water time is also really important.

I think going to a school is well worth it to be honest, First of all you will get all your basics and fundamentals down which well just make you a better rider allowing you to have more fun. Now if you think about it if you go to a camp you wil be getting just as much if not more water time than if you saved money for gas. At a camp you typically ride monday through friday 3-4 times a day so that is at the least 15 times possibly 20 so thats nearly a month of riding packed into a week. i would strongly consider it